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A review by tomlloyd
The Scarab Path by Adrian Tchaikovsky
4.0
Another cracking addition to the series, and a great start to the second arc overall. I was pleased to find this did actually feel different, the fact he's dragged the setting away to the desert was a good idea to add some distance from the last book. And as the others, it was a great and easy read and I've already got the next one waiting on the shelves.
Only four stars though? Well, something felt very slightly flat compared to the last couple, the prose just lacking a bit of colour, the situation with the Masters bugging me slightly (if you'll forgive the pun) and just a general sense that it was only really good rather than outstanding. But still, it was really good and I still fully support my assertion that Adrian's in far more control of his plots etc than most other long-series fantasy writers and I have total confidence that the rest will be of the same high level.
Only four stars though? Well, something felt very slightly flat compared to the last couple, the prose just lacking a bit of colour, the situation with the Masters bugging me slightly (if you'll forgive the pun) and just a general sense that it was only really good rather than outstanding. But still, it was really good and I still fully support my assertion that Adrian's in far more control of his plots etc than most other long-series fantasy writers and I have total confidence that the rest will be of the same high level.